franyarwanglish

Interesting article pointed out by one of my fellow Rwanda 2009 volunteers:

Why Rwanda said adieu to French

I'm wondering whether I'm going to come out of this experience trilingual or mute.

begging, borrowing, hoping not to steal

So I've been compiling my Rwanda packing list this week (just three months in advance!) to figure out how much stuff I still have to scrounge up before my late-December departure. Turns out, it's a fair amount of stuff. If anyone happens to have anything on this list just gathering dust at their apartment/parents' house/local department store and feels like making a donation to the get-Jo-out-of-here cause, email me! at joanna.a.copley@gmail.com.

for me:

lightweight sleeping bag
high-quality bug repellent
high-SPF sunscreen
small flashlight
batteries
travel alarm clock
swiss army knife
first aid supplies/basic medicines
internal frame backpacking backpack
smallish regular backpack
hot water bottle
iPod headphones
small short-wave radio
thermometer
oral re-hydration salts (anyone?)
water purification tablets
band aids
Pilot G-2 rollerball 07-pt pens (because writing with any other pen is just drawing)

for the children (think of the children!):

maps, posters, calendars, anything that could hold some educational value
portable tape or CD player (upgrade: iPod speakers!)
3D models from chemistry or biology classes or anything of that ilk
BOOKS in English, preferably paperbacks, preferably at a high-school reading level

More to come on both these lists as launch day draws near. Suggestions for things that I should absolutely bring/not bring are also welcome!

Rwanda is attempting to step up their internet game:

Bold Rwanda takes broadband leap

Too much too soon? The development economist in me is fidgeting with excitement.

curve shift

Oh yeah, I'm going to Rwanda to teach kids.

I knew that, but these three months since finding out I was accepted by WorldTeach have been incredibly narcissistic ones, focused mainly on how I had to prepare myself for living in a foreign country. I've been practicing my Kinyarwanda, keeping up with Rwandan news, getting advice about how/what to pack, wrapping things up at work, etc. But now that I'm just three more short months away from leaving, I'm getting really excited about preparing to teach in a foreign country. Or to teach at all. I don't know if I'm going to be good at this. So many delicious unknowns.

On the recommendation of Ian over at Sup Teach?, I've been reading dy/dan and loving it. He's realistic and manages to combine optimism, anecdote, methodology, and the occasional rant in a perfect blend which I think would make even the scroogiest kid-hater excited about teaching. This stood out today:

DM: Your students will excavate with profound determination and speed every social anxiety you thought you buried. It will take them minutes to decide that you are insecure about your appearance. Do not wonder if they notice your post-adolescent pimple. They do. They will exploit these anxieties as often as you allow them to. Determine quickly what matters to you and rid your psyche of the rest. Interest yourself in your students as often and as genuinely as possible. Love this job. Love your students. I'm not kidding about that last one even though I'm positive my 21-year-old self would have scoffed at that kind of attachment. Take it from me, please: you do not want to be the teacher I was when I was 21.

It's good to remember that this is about them more than it's about me. No, I'm not going into a soppy gloppy "I'm doing this for the children" spiel. I'm not at all mixed up about who I'm doing this for. But when I'm in the classroom, it'll be a big help to remember that the point of my being there is for them to learn something, not for me to come off as nice or sharp or funny or smart or whatever. If my social anxieties get excavated in the process, I look forward to seeing how that goes. Bring it on, kiddos.

Not sure if anyone catches my drift here, but I'm more excited than nervous about teaching and that's more than I've hoped for. Thanks again to Ian and Dan!

Rwandan presidential election set for August 2010

Excited about this:

Rwandan presidential election set for August 2010

I'm lucky to get to be there during an election year! This should be a pretty cool process to be able to witness from the inside. Also, a good reminder that I need to get myself much more familiar with current Rwandan politics. Fifth-grade book report-style briefing coming soon.

Copleys FTW!

Yet another Ben Copley appreciation post.

Thank you to my big brother for schlepping himself and my original diploma all the way out to San Francisco at the very last minute so I could meet my notatization deadline and not be a complete failure! That time you failed to show up at 5:30am so I could drive you to the airport is officially forgiven broheme. Love you lots!